As will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art, there may be numerous treatment possibilities for any given medical condition. For example, there are numerous medications available for the treatment of certain cardiac conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other cardiac conditions. Alternatively, non-medication avenues for treatment may be available, such as surgery. What is needed therefore are systems and methods to help the healthcare consumer choose and evaluate the quality and/or cost of various healthcare options to achieve targeted medical goals.
Also, each treatment option may have one or more providers available to provide treatment. Currently, it is very difficult for a consumer to select one or more providers. There is a need for a system to enable consumers to select providers. Consumers need to have access to information that helps them select among available providers based on quality and/or cost, for example.
Furthermore, there are costs associated with each treatment option. Depending on the consumer's budget, certain treatment options may be more affordable. There is a need for a system that provides cost information for each step involved in a treatment option.
What is further needed is a system and method for providing consumers with health treatment options, based on quality and cost estimates, to provide the consumer greater clarity in selecting from among a variety of medical treatment options.
In short, healthcare consumers have an increasing need to find value in their search for quality healthcare options. Healthcare consumers have an increasing need for transparency in their search for healthcare options. Moreover, with regard to a given health care option, healthcare consumers have a need to understand the costs involved in each of the steps involved in a particular healthcare option.